11 groups sue city to block NYU expansion

Eleven groups opposing the massive expansion of New York University announced Tuesday that they have filed a lawsuit against the city for approving the school's proposal to extend its Greenwich Village campus by roughly 2 million square feet.

The groups filed the lawsuit in the Supreme Court of the State of New York on Monday, challenging the approval of the expansion plan and alleging that the City Planning Commission and the City Council illegally turned over public land to facilitate NYU's plan. It also claims that the city's public approval process, which the school was required to through before embarking on the expansion, lacked transparency and denied public input.

The suit is an Article 78 proceeding of the state law that is used to appeal decisions of state or local New York agencies and is often used by groups to reverse controversial city rezonings.

"The city and state made a series of erroneous and irrational decisions to overhaul local zoning, alienate public parkland, and green-light NYU's project, despite the unanimous objection of the local Community Board, the affected communities, historic preservationists, and much of NYU's own faculty," said Randy Mastro, partner of the law firm Gibson Dunn and Crutcher, who represents the petitioners on a pro bono basis, in a statement.

The lawsuit is requesting that the court reverse the city's approval of the expansion by enjoining the city from alienating parkland or making any other additional changes asked by NYU. It also hopes to stop NYU from starting any construction.

"The expansion plan, which enables NYU to add much-needed academic facilities and housing, is lawful and followed all applicable processes," said the city Law Department, in a statement. "It was approved by both the City Council and the City Planning Commission after substantial and thorough public review. We are confident it will be upheld. We are reviewing the claims and will respond appropriately."

"We are confident that we will prevail in court against any claims that are made. NYU's proposal to build new academic facilities, student dormitories and faculty housing went through a five-year planning and consultation process," said NYU in a statement. "The City Planning Commission and City Council overwhelmingly approved NYU's proposal after holding extensive public hearings and engaging in a thorough and rigorous public review process as required by law."

NYU's 2031 expansion plan was unanimously approved by the City Council in July. The approved plan was a quarter smaller than what the school had originally wanted. Construction on the first new building of the plan was expected to begin in 2014.

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